February 21st 2025.
According to Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, there was quite a stir in the skies over the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand on Friday. It all started when three Chinese warships began conducting live-fire exercises near the Australian east coast. This caught the attention of commercial pilots who were warned of a potential hazard in the airspace between the two countries by regulator Airservices Australia.
Marles clarified that the Australian authorities were not informed by China about their plans for live-firing in international waters. Instead, they found out through the airlines that had intercepted a broadcast from China announcing their intentions. This came as a shock to the pilots who were flying over the Tasman Sea at the time. In fact, three flights from Sydney to New Zealand had to change their course after being warned by a Chinese warship. The airlines involved, Emirates, Qantas, and Virgin Australia, did not provide any comments on the incident.
Marles also mentioned that the Australian navy usually gives a notice of 12 to 24 hours for live-firing exercises to allow airlines to plan accordingly. However, this was not the case in this situation. Fortunately, all flights were able to divert and no one was put in danger. The three Chinese warships involved, frigate Hengyang, cruiser Zunyi, and replenishment vessel Weishanhu, were exercising their freedom of navigation in international waters. This type of exercise has caused tension in the past when conducted by the Australian military in the disputed South China Sea.
During a regular Chinese foreign ministry briefing on Friday, spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that their military had organized the fleet for high seas exercises, which were carried out in a safe and professional manner, abiding by international laws and practices. However, Australian defence officials were unsure if any weapons were actually fired during the exercise. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese assured the public that there was no imminent danger to any Australian or New Zealand assets.
Interestingly, New Zealand's aviation regulator did not issue any warnings, despite being aware of the Australian advice. The Civil Aviation Authority did not provide an explanation for this decision. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong promised to discuss the disruption of air services with her Chinese counterpart at a G20 ministers meeting in South Africa.
Meanwhile, flight monitoring websites showed multiple flights avoiding the area between Australia and New Zealand. Air New Zealand, the national carrier of New Zealand, stated that they had adjusted their flight paths to avoid the area without any impact on their operations. Additionally, Australian and New Zealand military ships and surveillance planes had been monitoring the Chinese warships for a few days now.
This deployment of Chinese warships is a rare occurrence in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean, and it is seen as a demonstration of their growing navy capabilities. Captain Steve Cornell, the vice president of the Australian and International Pilots Association, representing Qantas pilots, expressed his disapproval of the location chosen by China for their exercise. He mentioned that there is a vast ocean, and it would have been more suitable for them to conduct their exercises in a less disruptive area.
Despite the inconvenience caused, Albanese clarified that the Chinese exercise was completely legal and took place in international waters, outside of Australia's exclusive economic zone. He also added that the Australian government had received information from their Defence Ministry that there was no immediate danger to any assets.
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